per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈka-pə-tə 

1

: per unit of population : by or for each person

the highest income per capita of any state in the union

2

: equally to each individual

Synonyms of per capita

• a shot
• each
• per
• a pop

Examples of per capita in a Sentence

we expect the students to receive less funding per capita this year due to a marked increase in the school-age population

Recent Examples on the Web

But Norway is now richer than the United States per capita, and Norwegian workers are more productive than American workers, with higher output per hour. — Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

According to Census data, South Dakota ranked 35th in new business formations per capita last year, growing only about 4% from 2024. — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 13 July 2026

According to a report published last year by the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University, per capita water consumption in the Dallas-Fort Worth area was around 200 gallons per day. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2026

This strategic refusal is a major plot point in the episode, reflecting a history that led the New York Times to report in 1921 that the Osage had the greatest per capita wealth in the world. — Max Gao, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta (ˌ)pər-ˈkap-ət-ə 

: by or for each person

per capita income

Legal Definition

per capita

adverb or adjective

per cap·​i·​ta pər-ˈka-pə-tə 

1

: equally to each individual

all property to pass to the descendants per capita

—used of a method of distributing an especially intestate estate compare per stirpes

Note: Per capita distribution of an estate provides each descendant with an equal share of the estate's assets regardless of the degree of his or her kinship. Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc., all receive equal shares.

2

: per unit of population : by or for each individual

a high per capita tax burden

Etymology

Medieval Latin, by heads